5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Dividing Space in the Work Place

Open plan offices are all well and good but I think you would agree that for practical reasons it is essential to define a purpose for each area within the work place.

Take a long hard look at your surroundings and consider whether the space is being used to its full potential or whether you could reorganise it into a more productive working environment.

Consider the following

1. Have you made adequate provision for private discussion areas?
Meetings, staff training, discussions and brain storming sessions can be a daily occurrence and often a distraction to staff members that are not involved, a dedicated area away from the main office where staff can gather to openly to share ideas could be a solution.
In the absence of an available meeting room an area that can be partitioned off from the main office would provide a suitable solution allowing staff to gather for a private meeting with clients and visitors.

2. Are your storage areas too exposed creating an untidy eye sore?
By simply screening off an unsightly area of the office can improve its look and feel. The area may be a necessary evil but out of sight of mind can sometimes have a more than positive effect on staff morale.

3. Are your staff easily distracted at their desks because the office is noisy or busy?
All businesses and people are different,  if there is a good mix of characters in the office this can produce a healthy and stimulating environment however if staff need to concentrate or are impeded by unwanted noise and chatter this can of course prove to be  counter -productive.   It is important to take on board staff opinions and if they feel they would work better with more privacy then Office Screens may be a practical solution.  Whilst they can still interact with other members of the team, a screened work station can allow them to retreat back and to focus on their work.

4. The work space is simply too large
Many modern open plan work areas particularly new schools such as academies often have huge areas of space with tall ceilings which although offer a very contemporary feel  can sometimes be very impersonal.

Reducing the workable space for specific learning activities, exams and events can be beneficial as it can help groups feel more involved and focussed in their activities.

5. Privacy and security within the office and classroom is key
Never underestimate the importance of security and privacy during meetings, interviews and exams.  Private documents such as letters, statements and accounts often form the basis of a meeting or daily task within an employee’s role so it is essential that suitable measures are in place to deter prying eyes and protect the privacy of others.
Care should also be taken when setting up classrooms during exam time and that the matter of privacy is given great consideration.

Whilst creating privacy it is also wise to consider other types of security such as ensuring that visitors who come into the building can be seen by members of staff and also you by them. For example in a Doctors reception area it would be a good idea to include a vision office screen within the area so patients can have a private discussion at reception and so that staff can also see who is coming and going.

Expensive and important office equipment needs to be accessible but at the same time it can also be beneficial to obscure such equipment from direct public view so as to divert unwanted attention.

Each Area in the Workplace Plays its Part

Each area of the office has an important part to play and will of course vary in size dependent on the size of your premises so it is important to decide how best to create them and divide the space in an attractive as well as a practical and cost effective way.

We take a look at several options that are currently available for businesses large and small

Free Standing Office Screens and Moveable Partitions

Office Screens are a non-permanent partition solution and are widely available in a choice of colours, sizes, styles and prices.  They are a free standing, fabric covered product that are supplied with support feet and can be connected together in continuous runs and at angles to divide desks.  This type of office partition is a popular choice with users looking for a solution that can be assembled easily and that offers the flexibility to be moved and used in different configurations to suit their requirements.

With the variety of sizes available it is possible to divide and partition large offices and classrooms, create private work stations, discussion booths and study areas to suit your requirements.  With flexible connecting strips screens can be joined together quickly and easily reconfigured to adapt to a changing working environment changes.

Office Screens can be supplied in the style “Standard” or “Regular” this simply means that the screen has no features such as windows.  Whereas “Glazed” or “Vision” Office Screens, as the name suggests, incorporates an area of glazing that in the case of the Panel Warehouse range is made from lightweight acrylic. These screens are available in a wide range of colours and sizes and are often used in conjunction with regular/standard office screens as a security feature or when the client wants to make the most of the natural light in the rooms.

Desk Screens

When partitions are required for desks a suitable solution would be to look at Desk Screens.  The Panel Warehouse range offer an easy, self- assembly solution made up of a range of sizes and colours that are compatible with most standard sized desks.

Mobile Folding Room Dividers

Mobile Folding Room Dividers are a series of narrow panels that are hinged together and that feature lockable castors making the screens moveable and that can be folded when not in use.  This type of partition is often needed when the reason to divide the space and the actual area to divide changes frequently.  For instance in a community hall or classroom the frequency and the number of activities can change so the user will need a reliable partition screen that can be easily moved into place and that requires minimal assembly.

Folding Dividers are available in a series of heights and panel combinations to suit the users requirements and are a popular choice for screening off unsightly areas or creating breakaway rooms for meetings and events.

Panel warehouse offer a huge range of sizes and colours to compliment most environments, a wipe-able intervene fabric is also available for more demanding environments.

If you have a partition requirement or would like to discuss which office screens would help you maximise your working environment then please contact Panel warehouse on 0845 634 0525 or visit the website https://www.panelwarehouse.com/office-screens-c11  to view the full Office Screens and Office Partitions range.